Cultural Heritage in the Near and Middle East, and in Africa

Activity type

Lingue e letterature antiche e medievali

SSD

L-OR/15

Year

2nd year

Semester

1st semester

CFU

6

Hours distribution

42 classroom hours

Lecturers

GIANFILIPPO TERRIBILI

Activity type

Lingue e letterature antiche e medievali

SSD

L-OR/12

Year

2nd year

Semester

1st semester

CFU

6

Hours distribution

42 classroom hours

Lecturers

MARCO DI BRANCO

At the end of the course, students will be able to:
- understand the main historical, linguistic, and literary developments of the Arabic and Persian traditions in the early Islamic period, placing them within the broader context of the formation of Islamic civilisation;
- analyse and critically interpret representative texts from Arabic and Persian literatures through philological and historical-literary approaches, identifying their linguistic features, genres, functions, and contexts of production;
- compare cultural, linguistic, and literary phenomena across the two traditions through a diachronic and comparative approach,
- formulate independent assessments based on the analysis of sources and engagement with specialised scholarship.

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Module: ARABIC LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE
The course will be held in the first semester. All classes will take place in Room 'Aula E' on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., and on Fridays from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Classes will begin on Tuesday, 29 September 2026, and end on 6 November.

Subject: Heroic Epic in the Persianate World

The course is designed to explore key aspects of the development of the Persian language and its literary tradition across the centuries. As part of the 2026–2027 academic program, the course will examine the origins, development, and transmission of the Iranian heroic epic, while also considering its impact on various cultures and artistic expressions.
Special emphasis will be placed on analyzing the forms and modes of expression found in early, medieval, and modern sources, with particular attention to the relationship between this literary genre and the formation of socio-cultural identities in the so-called ‘persianate world’.
A seminar-based approach will guide the study of the material, with the aim of fostering active student participation and encouraging open discussion and critical engagement with both peers and the lecturer.

Learning Objectives
By the end of the course, students will be able to:
• carry out a diachronic analysis of the linguistic and literary context of ancient and medieval Iran, with specific reference to the monographic topic addressed during the academic year;
• identify interpretative issues and acquire specific and appropriate methodologies relevant to the case studies presented in class;
• develop critical thinking and apply multidisciplinary scientific approaches to the analysis of various types of textual sources;
• clearly and coherently present complex topics, engaging critically and constructively with peers during peer review sessions.



Module: PERSIAN LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE
N/D

Module: ARABIC LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE
Bibliography:
- Lazard, G. 1975. The Rise of the New Persian Language, The Cambridge History of Iran, Vol. 4, Cambridge, pp. 595-633.
- Perry, J. 2009. The Origins and Developments of Literary Persian, History of Persian Literature, Vol. 1, London, pp. 43-70.
- de Bruijn, J.T.P. 2009. Classical Persian Literature as a Tradition, History of Persian Literature, Vol. 1, London, pp. 1-42.
- Davidson, O. 2005. Persian/Iranian Epic, J. M. Foley (Ed.), A Companion to Ancient Epic, London, pp. 264-276.

Teaching materials and texts will be distributed during the course.



Module: PERSIAN LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE
N/D

Module: ARABIC LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE
Bibliography:
- Lazard, G. 1975. The Rise of the New Persian Language, The Cambridge History of Iran, Vol. 4, Cambridge, pp. 595-633.
- Perry, J. 2009. The Origins and Developments of Literary Persian, History of Persian Literature, Vol. 1, London, pp. 43-70.
- de Bruijn, J.T.P. 2009. Classical Persian Literature as a Tradition, History of Persian Literature, Vol. 1, London, pp. 1-42.
- Davidson, O. 2005. Persian/Iranian Epic, J. M. Foley (Ed.), A Companion to Ancient Epic, London, pp. 264-276.

Teaching materials and texts will be distributed during the course.


Module: PERSIAN LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE
N/D

PERSIAN LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE
The course will be held in the first semester. All classes will take place in Room 'Aula E' on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., and on Fridays from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Classes will begin on Tuesday, 29 September 2026, and end on 6 November.

In-person attendance

The final assessment will take into account the activities carried out during the course the courses. The oral examinations will be taken by the respective module teachers and based on the following criteria:
• knowledge and understanding of the key concepts and specialised terminology;
• analytical ability in discussing the course topics, contents, and materials examined during the lectures;
• clarity, accuracy, and effectiveness of oral presentation.

The course carries a total of 12 ECTS credits. A single final grade is awarded for the entire course; therefore, the two 6 ECTS modules cannot be recorded separately. Students will sit the examinations for each module on the examination dates scheduled by the respective module teachers. Once both examinations have been successfully completed, the final 12 ECTS grade will be officially recorded by the course coordinator.

The following questions are provided for illustrative purposes only:
- describe the formation and development of the Arabic or Persian language or literature;
- analyse the content of a text examined during the course;
- describe the context of a specific literary production;
- compare texts or genres analysed during the lectures.

Module: ARABIC LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE

• Introduction to the formation of the New Persian language and Classical New Persian literature.


• Introduction to the Iranian epic tradition in its diachronic development; the earliest attestations in Avestan and Middle Persian texts.


• The
  flourishing of epic literature in Classical New Persian: historical,
  linguistic, and socio-cultural context; the multimedia dimension of the epic narrative


• Diachronic and geographical overview of the reception and influence of the Iranian epic narrative within the Persianate world


• The final classes will follow a ‘flipped classroom’ format and will be dedicated to student presentations of individual case studies, followed by discussion and peer review sessions 

• Unit 1 – Introduction and methodological issues, weeks 1–2Presentation
  of the course; sources and research tools; principal historiographical
  questions.Unit 2 – First thematic section, weeks 3–5Analysis of the
  sources and discussion of the relevant bibliography.Unit 3 – Second
  thematic section, weeks 6–9Reading and commentary of selected texts.Unit
  4 – Further topics and conclusions, weeks 10–12Seminar discussion,
  final synthesis, and preparation for the examination.